DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

**AVIATION**

**8000 JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY**

**RICHMOND, VIRGINIA  23297-5100**

Pre-Proposal Conference Question and Answer for Gas Cylinder Project SPE4A6-15-R-0340

Following are the questions that were received by DLA Aviation regarding RFP SPE4A6-15-R-0340:

1) **Q:** SOW 1.1.E states “In the event that a customer returns cylinders that are not eligible under the terms of the contract...”  How will non-contract eligible cylinder disposals (such as fire bottles, refrigerant reclaim vessels, ODS cylinder, etc.) be priced?

**A:** Pricing for disposal of “non-contract eligible” cylinders will be the same as the disposal cost for “contract eligible” cylinders.  They will be priced according to the offerors final proposal as indicated on Schedule B15.

2) **Q:** Regarding the Transition Period referenced in SOW 4.0, and the Establishment of the Cylinder Pool in SOW 5.2; Will the awardee be responsible for customer pickups of GFP during the “overlap” year?

**A:** The awardee will not be responsible for customer pickups of GFP until such time as the Contractor has completed transition within 365 calendar days after contract award or once the Contractor assumes responsibility for individual products during transition.  Until such time it is the responsibility of the current Contractor.

3) **Q:** Regarding the Transition Period referenced in SOW 4.0, and the Establishment of the Cylinder Pool in SOW 5.2; Who will be responsible for the costs to move GFP and/or VMI from the incumbent contractor to the new contract awardee?

**A:** DLA will direct the shipment(s) at the Government’s expense to the Contractor designated location (one east coast and one west coast hub locations).  Subsequent shipments inside the Contractor’s network will be at the Contractor’s expense.

4) **Q:** SOW 5.2.E requires the establishment of 2 locations (one east coast and one west coast) to accept customer returns from the DLA Depots.  In the event that a return of a large quantity of acetylene or chlorine cylinder is required, will DLA redirect these shipments to multiple locations in order to keep below permitted thresholds for hazmat storage?

**A:** The Government will direct shipments to either the east coast or west coast hub.  It is up to the Contractor to ensure that the hubs have not exceed their threshold and can accept the material that is delivered.  Any redirection of shipments due to thresholds for hazmat storage will be done at Contractor’s expense.

5) **Q:** SOW 6.5 refers to the Quality Matrix in Attachment B5 for origin inspection; Can DLA confirm that there are 24 NSNs and a total Base Year Estimated ADQ (from Attachment B1) of 9,944 cylinders that will be subject to Government Origin Inspection and approval prior to shipment?

**A:** Yes.  That is correct.

6) **Q:** SOW 6.5 refers to the Quality Matrix in Attachment B5 for origin inspection; The POT indicates requirements for final product origin inspection for 13 additional NSNs that are not indicated as such in Attachment B5: (examples include 6830-01-370-6207-6830-00-782-3930, and 6830-01-392-0960).  Can DLA confirm that the POT takes precedence to identify the NSNs that must undergo this process?

**A:**The POT does take precedence over the Quality Matrix.  A new Quality Matrix has been pulled and the three NSNs identified above are listed as origin inspection in the new Quality Matrix.  The new version will be available on the website and issued with a RFP amendment.

7) **Q:** SOW 6.6.2.2 states that refurbishment of NSN 6830-01-433-3717 shall be priced separately.  Will DLA allow proposals to contain other exceptions to refurbishment pricing if it is determined that the cost of valves, parts, or accessories for certain cylinders significantly exceed the cost of standard cylinder valves, parts, or accessories?

**A:** Section L Volume V Cost/Price, Fixed unit prices should be based on average costs of refurbishment or disposal of all cylinders.  However, if there are specific cylinders whose cost is much higher, offerors may propose separate pricing for those specific items and they will be considered when supporting documentation (including invoices/quotes) is provided.

8) **Q:** Section L Instruction to Offerors, Section H, Volume V, Cost/Price subsection a) – the requirement for FSC 6830 is to propose fixed unit price for the first quarter after contract award; yet the requirement for FSC 8120 is to propose fixed unit price for the base year.  Is there a difference between “the first quarter after contract award” and “the base year”?

**A:**  Section L has been changed to read “for the first quarter after contract award” for the 8120s as is for the 6830s.

9) **Q:** Section L Instruction to Offerors, Section H, Volume V, Cost/Price subsection a) – the requirement is to propose a fixed unit price for the applicable FAT requirements; yet on page 3 it clearly states that for 52.209-04 First Article Approval – Government Testing, the information will be made available to the contractor if Government First Article Test becomes a requirement.  Can DLA confirm that FAT pricing is not to be submitted with the proposal?

**A:**  At this time there is not Government First Article Testing, which is why the information will be provided should it become a requirement.  There is Contractor First Article Testing that is currently a requirement.

10) **Q:** Will DLA consider adding a price reopener/redetermination provision for specific gases required under this contract that experience production bans or decline, or raw material scarcity that drive pricing substantially higher than the economic price adjustment (EPA) can capture?

**A:**The Reopener Clause is included in the RFP, 52.217-9004, Reopener Clause – Cost of Specified Direct Materials/Other Direct Cost Item.

11) **Q:** Section M, Total Evaluated Price states that the cylinder refurbishment will be evaluated by multiplying EAD time the estimated refurbishment break-down times the proposed prices.  Can DLA provide this “estimated refurbishment break-down” by NSN?

**A:**  The “estimated refurbishment break-down” is provided by the Contractor in Schedule B15.  There is no need to have a breakdown by NSN because the categories on B15 will be applied to each NSN.   

12) **Q:** The continuation sheet indicates 47 pages, and begins with page 3 of 47 pages”. Can DLA provide pages 1 and 2?

**A:**  Pages 1 and 2 are part of the entire package, there are no missing pages.  The first page is the front of the solicitation, page 2-3 is the continuation page with the solicitation instructions and notes as well as additional clauses and page 4 starts with the SOW and continues on from there.

13) **Q:** SOW 1.1 Contractor Requirements (c) identifies that the Contractor is burdened with associated delivery and pick-up costs.  In accordance with Section H-900 Pricing and Payment can DLA clarify which established fee structure would capture costs associated GFP returns and PQDRs/SDRs?

**A:**  These costs would be included under the Throughput Fee.

14) **Q:** SOW 1.1 Contractor Requirements (c) identifies the Contractor is responsible for CONUS/OCONUS returns of empty and/or excess material.  Can DLA confirm that the Contractor is not liable for transportation costs associated with the OCONUS returns?

**A:** DLA will direct the shipment(s) of OCONUS returns at the Government’s expense to the Contractor designated location (one east coast and one west coast hub locations).  Subsequent shipments inside the Contractor’s network will be at the Contractor’s expense.

15) **Q:** SOW 1.1 Contractor Requirements (f) identifies ineligible cylinder returns are subject to further DLA Aviation review and instruction.  Can the Contractor reject shipments containing poisons, corrosives or acids which may cause compliance issues associated with Hazardous Waste?

**A:** The cylinders associated with this contract will not contain poisons, corrosives or acids.

16) **Q:** SOW 6.5 Item Testing and Certification Requirements; Upon review of active NSNs and the corresponding PID information we have identified several refrigerants subject to the stringent requirements of Origin Inspection not specified in the Attachment 5, Quality Matrix.  Can DLA confirm that the PID data supersedes the data referenced within the Quality Matrix?

**A:**The POT does take precedence over the precedence over the Quality Matrix.  A new Quality Matrix has been pulled and will be available on the website and issued with a RFP amendment.

17) **Q:** 6.6.2.2 Replacement Parts and Accessories for Cylinders; Refurbishment of NSN  6830-01-433-3717 is specifically delineated due to the substantial costs associated.  We recognize a similar concern as NSN 6830-01-433-3721 requires substantial costs associated with refurbishment to CC:A Issuable.  Will DLA allow a separate refurbishment price for NSN 6830-01-433-3721?

**A:** Section L Volume V Cost/Price, Fixed unit prices should be based on average costs of refurbishment or disposal of all cylinders.  However, if there are specific cylinders whose cost is much higher, offerors may propose separate pricing for those specific items and they will be considered when supporting documentation (including invoices/quotes) is provided.

18) **Q:** 6.6.2.2 Replacement Parts and Accessories for Cylinders; NSN 6830-01-433-3717 (and potentially 6830-01-433-3721) notwithstanding, does DLA wish to have one price for cylinder refurbishment regardless of the services rendered to GFP or does the DLA intend for the Contractor to provide itemized pricing based on services rendered?

**A:**  An itemized pricing list needs to be provided as is provided for the other NSNs.

19) **Q:** Section H-900 Pricing and Payment; In an effort to competitively price each NSN can DLA advise the date of the initial EPA?

**A:**  A proposed price shall be for the first quarter after contract award.  The estimated award date is February 2016.  EPA escalation will begin in Quarter 2 of the contract, which will be during the Transition Period.

20)  **Q:** Section H-900 Pricing and Payment; Given the volatility in the marketplace for some of the listed FSCs (ie refrigerants, helium, etc) is DLA willing to allow an Request for Equitable Adjustment (REA) should the EPA not reflect acute changes?  If so, can DLA advise the applicable criteria enabling an REA in both directions?

**A:**  A Contractor may submit a request to the Government for a REA, per clause 252.243-7002 Requests for Equitable Adjustments.  

21) **Q:** The solicitation is a small business set aside, however, will all or a portion of the solicitation be required to be set aside for Service Disabled Small Businesses and is so, what will be the percentage of the set aside?

**A:**  The contract is set aside 100% for a small business, there is no further breakdown concerning the set aside.

22) **Q:** The current contract sets aside a percent of the procurement for Service Disabled Small Businesses and the Draft RFP had plank for the percentage of required set aside for SDVOSB, as Prime or Sub-Contractor.  The current RFP is silent on this set aside.  Does the Government intend to set a percentage of the procurement aside for Service Disabled Small Businesses?

**A:**  The current contract was a 100% small business set aside, same as this RFP.  The Draft RFP language that was included was more in line with a small business subcontracting plan.  Since this is a 100% small business set aside, a subcontracting plan is not a requirement. Therefore, the entire section regarding the small business utilization plan was removed.

23) **Q:** Will DLA be requiring any sort of sub-contracting plan from the offerors to ensure diversity?

**A:**  Due to the 100% small business set aside, a subcontracting plan is not required.

24) **Q:** Will DLA require each IDIQ task or year to be performed at least 50% by a small business or will apply the 50 percent rule to the entire contract?

**A:**  The contract will be awarded to a small business.  There will be no further review of small business status after award.

25) **Q:** Under the “past performance” requirements of the RFP, the term “offeror/critical subcontractor” is used.  Is this term to be interpreted as requiring both the offeror and its critical subcontractors to be small businesses?

**A:**  No, only the Prime Contractor has to be a small business.

26) **Q:** When reviewing past performance of the offeror, will the Contracting Officer be expecting the prime or its teaming members to have performed either individually or in the aggregate, work similar in scope and size to the current contract?

**A:** A source selection team will be evaluating the proposal.  Regarding Past Performance, the recency and relevancy of the information, the source of the information, context of the data and general trends in the contractor’s performance will be considered.  More recent and more relevant performance usually has a greater impact in the confidence assessment than less recent and less relevant performance.

27) **Q:** The RFP is a total small business set aside.  Will the Government require the successful offeror to remain “small” in accordance with SBA regulations for the entirety of the contract or can the offeror graduate sometime during the contract?  If an offeror is going to graduate from being a small business, how long must they remain small to be a successful offeror?

**A:**  The requirement is that the Prime is a small business at the time of award.

28) **Q:** Is it possible for a small business that might not otherwise have the required individual past performance to team with a large business and submit and offer?  How will the Government ensure that this remains a total small business set aside?

**A:**  The Government cannot tell offerors how to partner with other businesses.  The requirement is that the Prime is a small business at the time of award.  

29) **Q:** Will offerors be referred to SBA for size determination?  

**A:**  The Prime’s business size will be verified at time to award to ensure that they are a small business.  An offer may represent that it is a small business concern in connection with a specific solicitation if it meets the definition of a small business concern applicable to the solicitation and has not been determined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to be other than a small business.

30) **Q:** What exact NAICS codes will be include in the RFP?

**A:**  325120

31) **Q:** The original contract was modified multiple times.  Will the RFP and amended solicitation take these many previous modifications into account prior to contract award?

**A:**  The RFP that was issued has taken into account past experiences and lessons learned from the current contract including any resulting modifications.

32) **Q:** Of the many previous modifications to the existing contract, which are being considered for inclusion in the revised RFP, solicitation and contract?

**A:**  The RFP that was issued has taken into account past experiences and lessons learned from the current contract including any resulting modifications.    

33) **Q:** Will offerors be required to acknowledge receipt of addendums on current RFP?

**A:** Yes, if any amendments are issued to the solicitation the offerors will need to include acknowledgement of the amendments.

34) **Q:** Has consideration been given to dividing the RFP into product specific components with individual performance work statements (ie into NSN areas, cylinders, industrial gases, hardware (valves etc), refrigerant gases), which are more aligned with current small business capabilities?

**A:**  This was considered as part of our market research.  The current RFP structure was determined to be in the Government’s best interest.

35) **Q:** Is DLA considering breaking this contract into several deliverables that will translate into separate task orders?

**A:** This was considered as part of our market research.  The current RFP structure was determined to be in the Government’s best interest.

36) **Q:** Does the Government intend to consider amending the RFP from an “all or none” contract into four distinct commodity classes such as: empty containers, valves, parts, pre-assembled hard good items (NSN 8120s); and further breakout gases (NSN 6830s) into two distinct commodity classes of “short lead time, destination inspection” and “longer lead time, multi QAR origin inspection, specialty and refrigerant gases” and finally “cylinder services, reconditioning, recertification, and cylinder disposal”, with a Prime for each commodity class to be able to more easily oversee and increase delivery, productivity and spread out investment for on hand inventory per commodity class, and making each of the four smaller more nimble and manageable profit centers for DLA?

**A:**  This was considered as part of our market research.  The current RFP structure was determined to be in the Government’s best interest. The RFP will remain “all or none”.  

37) **Q:** The purchasing and technical requirements of 6.0 are broad. To accomplish the tasks often times off-the shelf or special hardware is required.  Will DLA assist the contractor or will that be wholly the Contractor’s responsibility?

**A:**  It is the Contractor’s responsibility to meet all purchasing and technical requirements.

38) **Q:** The introduction and scope of 1.0 is broad.  It envisions providing “logistical support”, however, the remaining components of the RFP go beyond providing logistical support.  Please elaborate on the scope of the RFP.

**A:** The “logistical support” and other requirement are spelled out throughout the RFP.  

39) **Q:** 4.0 refers to the “transition period”, which might refer to an expectation that the Government will assist the new Contractor with the transfer of documents, software, or other supporting infrastructure from the existing Contractor to the awardee.  Is this a correct interpretation?

**A:** The Government will not assist on any transfer from the current Contractor to the Awardee, other than GFP as described in the SOW.  

40) **Q:** Will the Government and the existing Contractor assist the new awardee and its subcontractors with training and the transfer of existing infrastructure to avoid duplication and ensure a smooth transition? 

**A:** The Government will not assist the Awardee with any training, It will be the Awardee’s responsibility.

41) **Q:** Will inventories on hand as part of GFP and inventory tracking reports be turned over to the new awardee?

**A:** The Government will arrange for initial transfer of GFP from the current Contractor to the Awardee as spelled out in SOW.  

42) **Q:** How will the Government address the existing inventories of the current Prime and Subcontractors?

**A:**  The Government will arrange for initial transfer of GFP from the current Contractor to the Awardee as spelled out in SOW.

43) **Q:** Will DLA clarify the following statement within RFP section 5.2 Establishment of Cylinder Pool paragraph E: “The Contractor shall maintain an aggressive customer return program that prevents/limits the number of returns into the DLA depot system”?

**A:** The Contractor shall establish a cylinder return program that encourages and facilitates the return of excess/empty reparable industrial gas cylinders for GFP reutilization to their contractor managed locations in lieu of customers (recurring and new) turning them into DLA’s CONUS depots for accountability and management.

44) **Q:** A specified source for specific NSNs described within Attachment 17: Procurement Item Descriptions (PID Data) no longer exists?

a. 6830-01-320-8823 on row 164, approved source of supply Hale Products Inc Cage 26840 P/N 108-0420-00-0 discontinued.  Leland Limited Inc, Cage 2W134 P/N 70001-36EA discontinued.

b. 6830-01-509-6870 on row 268, approved source of supply Gas Tech Inc Cage 51906 is now Fisher Scientific and P/N 81-0065 is discontinued.

c. 6830-01-303-4937 on row 159, approved source of supply Gas Tech Inc Cage 51906 is now Fisher Scientific and P/N 81-0083 is discontinued.

**A:** NSNs 6830-01-320-8823, 6830-01-509-6870 and 6830-01-303-4937 will be deleted from the RFP.  An amendment to the RFP will be issued deleting the NSNs.

45) **Q:** NSNs within attachment B1 – Active NSN and unit Pricing do not correspond to a PID description within Active NSN PID Data.  We anticipate that they are typo’s but are concerned that they could be invalid NSNs.

a. 6830-01-502-4378 on row 264

b. 6830-01-616-4522 on row 320

c. 8120-01-616-0992 on row 319

**A:**The NSNs listed above are incorrect.  The correct NSNs should be 8120-01-502-4378, 8120-01-616-4522 and 6830-01-616-0992.  Schedule B1 has been updated and will be issued in a RFP amendment.  PID data is available under the correct NSN.

46) **Q:** NSN 8120-01-568-9349 on row 303 is missing a CID A-A 59680 Tables II PIN reference.  

**A:** Per DLA Technician: This NSN is NOT competitive; it is a part numbered NSN with two sources with special exception on the POT for the VALVE CGA 540 DIP TUBE 12.00 IN. 3/8" OD  COPPER.  The CID A-A 59680 Tables III PIN reference does not apply because it does not have dip tube option.  Just as reference it could be "PIN AA59860-080 with dip tube”.

47) **Q:** Offeror’s will be proposing prices based on quotes they established at this time.  We expect DLA will award a contract at least six months later.  What allowances will DLA make at the start of the contract for the time that elapsed since the offeror established their quotes for suppliers?

**A:** A proposed price shall be for the first quarter after contract award.  The estimated award date is February 2016.  EPA escalation will begin in Quarter 2 of the contract, which will be during the Transition Period.

48) **Q:** Will DLA allow “critical subcontractors” to generate past performance questionnaires at this time with the associated “prime contractor” to be named later?  Potential critical subcontractors and prime contractors are still aligning with each other, however, in the interest of allowing references sufficient time to complete the questionnaire and return them by 28 June 15, we hope DLA will consider this request.

**A:**  The Prime Contractor is the Offeror that is submitting the proposal.  The Prime Contractor and Critical Subcontractors shall be decided by the parties so that at time of Questionnaire submittal, they are properly identified in the questionnaire submittals.

49) **Q:** Can Contractor owned cylinders supplement the Government cylinder pool to increase fill rate?

**A:** No.

50) **Q:** In addition to the east and west coast hubs, can the Contractor distribute from additional satellite locations?

**A:** The one (1) east and one (1) west coast hubs are required for DLA Depot returns.  Any other location(s) are at the Contractor’s discretion. 

51) **Q:** Can you provide a list of all the locations we will be supporting?

**A:** Such a list includes any CONUS military installation, CCPs, and FSLs (attachment 20).  Not all CONUS military installations currently participate, however, any can join at any time.

52) **Q:** Can you provide a product list?

**A:**  The product list involves active items (included on Schedule B1) and inactive items (Schedule B2).

53) **Q:** Can you provide a usage report, by location?

**A:** Demand data was provided under Attachment 18.

54) **Q:** What is the order frequency?

**A:** As listed in Section M, the Government considers a very relevant past performance to support processing individual transactions in excess of 500 per month.

55) **Q:** Is there a standard delivery schedule for each location?

**A:** Please see section 6.7.5 Performance Metrics of the SOW for a discussion on TDD and Fill Rate Metric.  Delivery is based on priority not on location.